Neill Says Depleted Socceroos Can Pinch China Win
The Age
Tuesday March 25, 2008
SKIPPER Lucas Neill admits the Socceroos have their backs to the wall in tomorrow night's World Cup qualifier against China, but he's confident a patched-up side can steal a result.
A glassy-eyed Neill arrived with the bulk of the European-based players early yesterday afternoon. He learned on arrival that Scott McDonald had joined a lengthening casualty list that also includes World Cup survivors Brett Emerton, Tim Cahill, Josh Kennedy and Mile Sterjovski, while Harry Kewell's fitness remains a concern. Even the normally phlegmatic Socceroos coach Pim Verbeek expressed his exasperation at losing almost half his first-choice side. But while Neill accepts a difficult task of playing in altitude and in a hostile atmosphere, the West Ham skipper refuses to concede a lost cause. "Obviously we've got a few boys who've pulled out, but I'm sure the guys who'll come in will do a good job," he said. "There's plenty of character in this dressing room. . ."For a long time now we've been training and preparing in circumstances like these, so it's not new to us. It's backs to the wall, but that tends to bring the best out of us, and this won't be any different." For all the withdrawals, Verbeek is likely to start with an almost exclusively European-based team, although the formation remains to be seen. Neill believes the players are learning fast after their difficult introduction to Asian football. "The game plan for both teams will probably be that whoever scores first will probably try and defend that lead," he said. "With the altitude it will be a matter of getting the first blow in . . ."I'd imagine it will be a slower-paced game, so maybe we have to show a bit of professionalism, maybe take a bit longer with throw-ins, free kicks, the occasional player going down to buy some time. Maybe we have to use our heads as well as our lungs, maybe bend the rules to our advantage. "A point will be a good result, as long as we can get positive results at home. But there's also enough experience, enough strength of character, to nick a win . . . if we get an early goal, we can shut up shop and hold on. We've come here to steal a win."Whatever formation Verbeek adopts, Neill will be at the heart of his defensive plans but the team will be without Craig Moore, who retired after last month's qualifier against Qatar. "Obviously with Moorey going, there's a hole to fill," Neill said. "I'm just hoping to strike a good partnership with whoever comes into the side."David Carney, who could play as a full-back or wing back, admits he must curb his own attacking instincts to aid the defensive cause. "Obviously with my club (Sheffield United) I can pretty well bomb on, but here I've got to be careful," Carney said. "I love getting forward, keeping the width, but I've got to play it smart, go when I can go and stay when I need to."
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